Many motorcyclists prefer to take county highways and side roads when they ride, since those roads are much more scenic and relaxed than the freeway. Some riders may even avoid freeway riding because they think it’s dangerous. Sometimes the freeway is the most convenient way to get to your destination, especially on long routes, or it might be unavoidable on certain stretches of your ride. With the proper set of riding skills and knowledge, riding on the freeway can be a breeze.
Here are some tips for riding safely on the freeway.
- Remain aware of other vehicles' blind spots.
Staying out of another vehicle’s blind spot is key to being safe because if they can’t see you, you’re in danger of being hit by them. If you find yourself riding in a blind spot, immediately start thinking of a safe way to maneuver out of it and into a more visible position. Large vehicles like semitrucks will have an even harder time seeing you on the freeway, so remain extra careful around them.
- Always look out for hazards.
You’ll see every type of obstacle you can imagine while riding on the freeway. Blown out tires, mattresses, pieces of lumber, parts falling from cars, anything could be lying on the road and pose a hazard to you. Something that may be of no danger while riding in a car can cause a serious accident for someone on a motorcycle. Riding on a side of your lane instead of in the center can help you avoid obstacles better, give you more room to maneuver and a better line of sight to what may lie ahead.
- Always have a path of escape.
Riding on the freeway requires you to always know where the best escape paths are from the lane you’re riding in. You may need to quickly react due to other vehicles or obstacles in your path. A great advantage of riding a motorcycle is that they are highly maneuverable, so with the right escape path, skills and awareness, you should be able to get out of the way quickly.
- Don’t speed.
Traffic moves quickly on the freeway, but speeding can cause you to have less time to maneuver or stop. Traffic can become backed up quickly and you need to be able to stop in a short distance. Extreme speeding can lead to deadly crashes and endanger other people on the road.
- Keep a safe following distance.
Try to keep enough distance between you and the vehicle in front of you. This will give you more time to react to any situation. If you tailgate another vehicle, a sudden slam of the brakes by them can cause a collision, sending you flying in the air. Keep an eye on the vehicle behind you as well and be ready to move out of the way if you think you’re going to be rear-ended. If you are being followed too closely by another vehicle or witness someone experiencing road rage, move into a safer lane.
These tips will help you safely navigate freeways on your motorcycle. Always give your full attention to the road and do everything you can to stay visible to other vehicles.
At Hupy and Abraham, we do all we can to help motorcycle riders. Our firm has promoted rider awareness and safety for decades. Hupy and Abraham’s “Watch for Motorcycles” message is spread through billboards, TV ads, stickers and more to help keep riders at top of mind and help save their lives. Stay tuned to the Rider Resources section on HUPY.COM for more great articles and safety tips.
Sometimes even if you do everything right, an accident can still happen. If you’re injured in an accident on the freeway, or anywhere else, call us today at 800-800-5678 or chat with us on HUPY.COM so we can start fighting for you. Hupy and Abraham has helped over 70,000 clients receive over $1 billion for their injuries.
